Tali in Trouble
by quintawrites
Summary: Tali DiNozzo decides to play a trick on Ziva while at the grocery store. Ziva is not pleased. (Tony and Ziva are together and have been raising their daughter together since birth).


**Author's Note:**

**Here's a little one shot that popped in my head the other night and demanded to be written. This is AU in which Ziva and Tony are together and have been raising Tali together since birth. Really it's the way the story should have gone in my opinion! TIVA always! : )**

**Please read and review. Coming soon: the beginning of my new, multi-chapter story focusing on Papa Gibbs's relationship with his oldest son and second-in-charge, Tony DiNozzo. That will be a discipline fanfiction as well.**

Tali in Trouble

Ziva looked down at her shopping list and sighed. Why did she and Tony agree to host the NCIS family barbecue this year, she wondered for the tenth time that day. It's not as though the couple didn't have enough on their plate with their jobs and a very busy five-year-old Talia to keep them on their toes.

It was nearly 90 degrees even though it was not yet noon as Ziva sat in the grocery store parking lot with the air conditioning on full blast. Tali was in her car seat talking quietly to her stuffed bunny Grandpa Gibbs gave her when she was born. The bunny was gray and white and Tali would go nowhere without Mr. Max, as she called him.

Ziva watched her daughter in the rear view mirror for a moment and smiled. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have the love of her life as her husband and a beautiful little girl to raise – her beloved sister's namesake.

Talia had long brown, wavy hair just like Ziva's. It was up in two pigtails and fastened by rainbow hair ties. As much as her hair and tan skin tone matched Ziva, her eyes were clear blue just like her daddy's. She also had his sense of humor and penchant for mischief, along with Ziva's fearlessness. The two had made a truly lovely daughter who could be a force to be reckoned with even at her young age.

"Ima!" Tali called, breaking Ziva's train of thought. "Are we getting out? Mr. Max is bored!"

Ziva turned to look at her daughter.

"Yes, Tali, we need to go shopping for the barbecue," she said patiently. "Hold on. I'm coming to let you out."

Ziva quickly grabbed her purse, the list and hopped out of the car to get Tali out of her seat. Tali immediately jumped out of the car with Mr. Max and started to run.

Thankfully, Ziva's reflexes were quick as ever and she easily grabbed the little girl's arm firmly but gently as she shut the car door. Ziva kneeled down so that she could get eye level with her daughter.

"Talia Elizabeth DiNozzo, you know better than to run in the parking lot. It is dangerous and you could get hurt. You need to stay by me and take my hand," Ziva scolded quietly.

Tali's blue eyes filled with unshed tears as she listened to her mother. She didn't like it when Ima was cross with her.

"I'm sorry, Ima," Tali hung her head as she talked. She was intent on examining the ground when Ziva lifted her head with a gentle touch to her chin. "I just wanted to go into the store."

Ziva's tone softened as she saw Tali's tears.

"I know, little one. But you must learn to be patient, yes? I do not want you to get hurt."

Tali nodded in agreement as Ziva stood and took her hand. They entered the store and Tali let Ziva set her and Mr. Max in the shopping cart seat without complaint.

Ziva was feeling better about tackling her shopping list until she got about halfway through. Tali had been sitting quietly but spotted a display of fireworks as they rounded a corner and wanted to look at them.

"Ima," Tali said excitedly. "Fireworks! Can I look at them?"

Ziva was examining barbecue sauce brands, looking for the one Tony said was the best. She took her daughter out of the cart, told her to stay there, and went back to looking for the right condiment.

"Okay, Tali, time to get back in the cart," Ziva said as she turned to get her.

But Tali wasn't at the fireworks display. She wasn't in the aisle at all. Ziva immediately began searching around, trying not to panic as waves of horrible scenarios passed through her mind from her years at NCIS.

"Tali! Talia!" Ziva called out as she pushed the cart from one aisle to the next.

She was about to tell an employee to shut the store down for a full search when something shiny caught her eye. It was the toe of one of Tali's rainbow glitter sneakers that Aunt Abby had gotten her for her birthday. It was peeking out from a tower of boxes of pop on display.

Ziva could see Tali hiding along the boxes as she got closer. She pulled the girl from her hiding spot and immediately picked her up and hugged her. Ziva was shaking from the fear and adrenaline of losing Tali.

"You do not ever, ever do that again," Ziva said in a tone Tali almost never heard directed at her.

The little girl knew she was in big trouble when Ziva put her back in the cart and immediately headed for checkout. She didn't speak again until the two were in the car after the groceries had been loaded.

"That was a very naughty thing to do, Talia DiNozzo," Ziva said sternly. "You are getting a spanking when we get home."

At that announcement Tali began crying. She knew Ima was upset with her but she rarely got spanked and usually if she earned one Tony dispensed the punishment.

Tali cried the entire 15 minute drive home. Ziva hated to hear her daughter cry but knew she had to stay firm.

Tony came out of the house to help unload the groceries as Ziva pulled up. He immediately went to ask what was wrong with Tali but Ziva shook her head.

Ziva quickly told Tony what had happened at the store and why Tali was crying before she opened the trunk. The two were standing behind the car.

"Sweet Cheeks," Tony said, wrapping Ziva in a hug. "I'm sorry that happened. She's okay. You found her."

"I know Tony, but she has to be punished. I have to follow through."

Tony nodded in agreement. Ziva popped the trunk so Tony could get the groceries and went to get Tali out of her seat. The little girl was only sniffling a little now as Ziva grabbed her hand.

"Come on, we have something to take care of while Abba gets the groceries."

Tali didn't dare try to run from her Ima as she led them inside and upstairs to Tali's room. Ziva sat on Tali's bed and stood the girl in front of her.

"Tali, do you know why you are getting a spanking?"

Tali started crying again but answered.

"Because I ran away and hid."

"That is right," Ziva affirmed. "You know you are not allowed out of our sight without permission. It's Abba's and my job to keep you safe and we cannot do that when you disobey."

"I'm sorry, Ima. I won't do it again. I don't want a spanking," Tali couldn't help but beg.

"And I do not want to spank you, Tali. But I will so that you will listen better next time."

With those words, Ziva lifted Tali and placed her over her lap. After a moment of indecision, she pulled down Tali's pink leggings and underwear and started spanking her bare bottom.

Tali cried hard as Ziva brought her hand down on her bottom over and over again. Ziva gritted her teeth as she spanked. She may have been a trained assassin, but this was hurting her more than she could have ever anticipated.

Ziva placed five more spanks on Tali's wriggling bottom before stopping. She quickly righted her clothes and brought Tali onto her lap.

"I'm sorry, Ima. I'm sorry," Tali cried into Ziva's shirt. She clung to Ziva and buried her face in her chest.

Ziva rocked her daughter as she held her.

"Shhh. It is over, Tali."

That's when Ziva noticed Tony standing in the doorway. He saw Ziva's eyes filling with tears and sat on the bed next to them, his arm around Ziva. When Tali had calmed, she crawled out of Ziva's lap and into Tony's.

Tony kissed the top of his daughter's head as the three sat for another moment in silence. Ziva straightened up and stood.

"I am going to put the groceries away and start dinner," she said. "Would you like to help me, Tali bear?"

Tali looked up at the use of her nickname. Ima wasn't mad anymore.

"Yes!" The little girl replied, a smile returning to her face.

"We'll be down in a minute, Zi," Tony said.

Once Ziva had left, Tony shifted Tali on his lap so he could look at her.

"No more running off, young lady," he said sternly. "If I hear you've done this again, Ima will spank you and I will spank you too."

Tali's eyes widened as she understood what Abba was saying.

"And that goes for anyone in the family – including Grandpa Gibbs and Uncle Ducky," Tony continued, making sure Tali knew she would face consequences for disobeying any of the adults in her life. "Got it?"

"Got it," Tali answered quickly.

"Good," Tony answered, dropping his stern tone. "Ready to go help Ima?"

Tony stood with Tali still in his arms. She held on tight and didn't ask to get down.

"Abba," Tali asked as they went downstairs.

"Yeah?"

"Ima found me real fast at the store. Even though I had a really hidden hiding place," Tali said.

Tony wondered where Tali was going with her reasoning but just listened.

"Is that why you call Ima a crazy ninja chick sometimes? Because she's crazy good?"

Tony paused on the stairs at that question. He was pretty sure he would be in trouble with said crazy ninja chick if Ziva knew their daughter was using that name. Instead of answering, Tony smirked as they headed into the kitchen.

This kid is going to be a handful, he thought, putting her down. Tali ran to Ziva and hugged her. But what could you expect when a ninja and a DiNozzo make a baby?

**THE END**


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